** Let's look a little closer a the term Paul uses here. Is Paul talking
about an educational process?

Not really, dokimazo (translated here as trying to learn) carries the
idea of proving or testing. As we learn to obey the Lord in our marriage
and all other relationships as well, we will grow in our goodness, righteousness
and truth - thus proving who we are in Christ. A claim to Christianity
apart from observable obedience is a lie! cf. James 1:22, Luke 11:28

V.11 ** Paul has already instructed us to be different than the
unsaved world around us by not "partaking with them" in their
sinful view of life (V.7) - How does he now describe their daily conduct?

Theirs is a life which produces only "unfruitful deeds of darkness".

** Volumes could be said about how the world wastes its time in unfruitful
or counter productive words and actions. Could we as Christians fall into
that same pattern?

Absolutely we can - defending unimportant opinions, taking a stand
on our pride, we can do great harm to the ones we love and become most
unfruitful.

** What two things does Paul tells us to do regarding their "deeds
of darkness"?

1) Do not participate!
2) Expose the error!
We are to reach the sinner, while avoiding the sin. cf. Mark 6:14-18